Some employees like to make a dramatic statement when they’re quitting their jobs – and sometimes that statement can include a brick through glass.

That was the choice of one staffer who announced the resignation by writing “I quit” on a brick and throwing it through a window. This is according to a survey conducted by OfficeTeam, a staffing service.

Some employees aimed for creativity, with one person baking a cake that had her resignation letter written on top and another staffer making his announcement while being accompanied by a marching band.

This are just a few of the extreme and often funny examples of ways people have chosen to quit. The problem with these types of stories is that human resources (HR) managers feel these non-traditional ways of leaving a job have the potential to affect future career opportunities.

OfficeTeam surveyed more than 600 HR managers at companies with 20 or more employees in Canada and the United States. They were asked, “How does the manner in which someone quits a job affect that person’s future career opportunities?”

One-third of respondents felt the way a person chooses to quit a job greatly affects their future success while 53% felt it somewhat affects potential opportunities.

“Doing a great job when you start a new role is expected,” says Robert Hosking, executive director of OfficeTeam. “Doing a great job as you leave cements your reputation for professionalism.

The survey included other examples of how not to leave a job, including the wrong way to use technology:

  • one staffer produced a music video to make the announcement;
  • one person quit through Facebook.

And it looks like some employees were simply unable to handle the pressure of making this announcement:

  • one employee had his wife call to say he would not be returning to work;
  • one worker sent a text message to a colleague and asked this person to forward the message to management.

Some employees simply decided to make their decision a non-event by not declaring their intention to leave their companies. Examples include:

  • the employee who went to the washroom and never returned;
  • the staffer who said she was going out to buy boots but was never seen again.

While these stories may inspire a chuckle, employees should find alternative and more professional methods of leaving a workplace.

These include scheduling a meeting with managers to discuss the resignation and providing at least two weeks’ notice. Employees should also maintain a positive tone to these conversations, tie up any loose ends and help train their replacement if one is chosen, says Hosking.